Almohad Kaliphate (V.I. version)

[Alrowan]

oooh, the golden horde... the timer is on then.. Can I conquer the known world, and deter the Golden Horde? or do i tempt them with a mighty empire?

[KukriKhan]

While Alrowan ponders Ismail's strategy, here's the list

July 29:

SeljukSinan (Khalipha Yusuf I)
Monk (Khalipha Yusuf II)
Maniac (Khalipha Umar)
Mount Suribachi (Khalipha Ismail I)
Simon Appleton (Khalipha Muhammad I)
Alrowan (Current Khalipha Ismail II)
Demon of Light
ChaosLord
The_Emporer
DrHaphazard
Skie Mirror Silvanoshei
ArseClown

[Kristaps]

I guess, it's too late for this campaign, but I'm up for the next one: kristaps@caia.org.

[Demon of Light]

http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin....;t=9348

Check it out. its a proposal to start a new forum for these games.

[Prince Romendacil II]

I'll play.

xxplatinum2xx@aol.com

[Alrowan]

looks good deamon, ill be picking up the campagin and spending some time on it tomorrow. I think i will try beat the mongols

[Mount Suribachi]

1176 began with something of a shock for Ismail when the Holy Roman Empire chose to attack from Provence into Milan. The HRE had previously been allies of the Almohads, but the Emperor had obviously seen the writing on the wall. Although for now Ismail had no plans to attack the Germans, it didn't take a genius to work out that once he had defeated the French (who were by now very much on the defensive) that the HRE would be next on his Catholic hit list. As such the HRE wisely chose to attack whilst the powerful Almohad armies were engaged elsewhere. Their mistake was to attack in insufficient numbers in too few areas. Instead of a surprise attack with overwhelming force, a small number of heavy cavalry where sent to attack the garrison in Milan. The small number of Muslim defenders fought smartly, choosing to retreat to a wooded hill where they could reign down arrows on the heavily armoured knights. For a short while the knights, not wishing to show cowardice in the face of the enemy, stood on the edge of the wood contemplating a charge, but in the end discretion got the better part of valour and realising that they would be chopped to pieces in the wood, they withdrew back to their castle at Marseilles. The Germanic surprise attack, so poorly executed as it was, was a complete disaster and rather than saving the Holy Roman Empire from extinction, merely hastened its demise.

As a result of the HRE breaking their treaty with the Almohads there was a shuffling of the diplomatic deck. Egypt and the English both cancelled their treaties with the Almohads, both of which were of concern to Ismail. The Egyptians with their massive army on the Almohad eastern frontier were a constant niggling doubt for Ismail, but the behaviour of the English greatly upset him. They had been allies in the fight against the common enemy, the French, but now that the French were on their knees, the English quickly forgot who it was that had broken the back of their nemesis. Ismail however, would not quickly forget this English treachery, further reinforcing his belief that all Catholics were untrustworthy. Meanwhile, the Hungarians, hard pressed by the powerful Byzantine Empire, came asking for an alliance. Ismail refused, caring little for their fate and wishing to remain on good terms with the Byzantines, the Almohads number 1 source of trade income. The only good news that year was that the independent princedom of Friesland had agreed to join the Almohad Empire - for a small financial reward of course…

By the end of 1178, the HRE was in disarray. In the face of Almohad armies the armies in Provence and Burgundy retreated into their castles without putting up a fight. Only in Switzerland did the Germans show any fighting spirit as 30 brave knights, outnumbered 7 to 1, fought to the last man on a snowy mountainside, taking over 100 Muslim souls with them.

In the south of France Toulouse castle finally fell under an assault led by Kalipha Ismael himself, though with over 100 casualties including Amir ibn Tashufun. At last Toulouse, the scene of so much blood shed. For 7 long years battle had raged back and forth over it. Thousands of men, Muslim and Catholic had died on its fields. Now at last it was finally, irrevocably, an Almohad province.

The soldiers of the Jihad launched to reclaim it for Islam rejoiced.

In the north of France however there were tears of anguish, not of joy. The mercenary army sent to conquer Ile de France had the French locked up in Paris castle and launched their assault. The mercenaries were slaughtered. The castle was probably the most advanced fortification in the world at that time, with the exception of Constantinople's land walls of course. A full-blown castle (rather than a keep with a curtain wall, the most common fortification of the era) it had a ring wall as well as ballista and catapult towers. These latter in particular were deadly, quickly destroying the stationary Almohad siege artillery and forcing a storming of the castle by the troops whilst the walls were still standing. Of the 309 men who set out that morning, only 34 returned that night.

Ismael was shocked by this news, but as was his way, he learned from this lesson. These modern castles were tough to assault, even with the most advanced siege artillery of the time. As a consequence he ordered that improved castles be built along his borders to protect them, a chain of stone he called it.

Despite the setback at Paris, it had still been a good year for Ismail as his stranglehold on Catholic Europe tightened. Increasingly panicked by events, the Pope once more called for crusades against the Almohads, but he was running out of Catholic Kings to appeal to and soon Pope Giovanni himself would be silenced forever.

[KukriKhan]

...Pope once more called for crusades against the Almohads, but he was running out of Catholic Kings to appeal to and soon Pope Giovanni himself would be silenced forever.

Heh. I love cliff-hangers

Bumping so Alrowan can find this thread.

[Alrowan]

found and noted *grins*

im looking forward to an evening of alamohad goodness after a horribly long day of uni

[Alrowan]

Ch I
The Anatolian Conquest

Praise to Allah, for his guiding hand and his blessed light, for through him, and him alone am I able to achieve all that is great in this small life. - Khalipha Ismail II in St Sophia after the fall of Constantinople 596 (1218AD)

The Fall of Constantinople

Khalipha Ismail II sat by his fathers deathbed in Castile, and swore an oath he would expand the empire so that all men would be Ruled under the banner of Mohumad, the great prophet. Only days before he had assumed the throne upon his fathers passing, and now commanded the mightiest empire the world had seen. Not only did he inherrit the Empire, he also inherrited the enemies.

The treacherous Romans with thier scheming and plotting sat in thier palaces in Constantinople, surrounded by his fathers great host, encamped and laying in wait. Many times had the great city been besieged, but her defences stood tall and withstood all assaults. When Ismail had inherrited the throne, he boarded his fastest ships for the great city. Ahead of him across the land ran his network of riders, ordering the assualt on Constantinople to begin, and that thier Khalipha would soon arrive to forsee the victory.

Hasam Abdu Mushin was the leader of the camps surrounding the great city, and it was in early August he recieved the Khalipha's message, and began what would be the final assault. For three days the siegecraft bombarded the walls of the mighty city, and by nightfall on the third day, the walls looked to be breached. Hasam signalled the end of the days bombardment and returned to camp. At his disposal he had a great division of 3500 men, most fresh, and green. The great army had been forced to divide into smaller numbers, so the borders could be held vs any raiders. In the holy land the great generals waited with thier armies to meet with Hasam and finalise the conquest.

On the morning of the fourth day, Hasam orderd the Machinery to fire again, and soon they had breahed the walls of the mighty fortress. using the infantry divisions he had prepared earier that morning, he sent them to sally into the breach, and attempt to gain a foothold within the fort. Twice they assailed. And twice they were driven back, and eventually routed off the field. The day had grown long, and Hasam returned to his camp and planned for the next days assault. This time he would take some cavalry, and attempt to run down the defenders as the sun rose. That morning, the cavalry sallied forth through the breach, only to be met by fearsome defenders, who drove back the lightly armoured arabs. Hasam was outraged, yet patient, his cavalry contingent was sorely weakend, and he would not risk another such asault.

on the 6th day of fighting, Hasam had before him a massed infatry contingent, with heavy French Crossbowmen ready to show thier loyalty to the Khalipha. Along and into the breach these men marched, fired upon by the enemy towers as they wend, but this time keeping in close formation. To thier rear were the more elite troops, ready to help when the fighting got tough. The first wave hit and broke through the breach with ease, the enemy falling back inside the walls fast, and through came the rest of the infantry. Through the day tough fighting occured, but by dundown, Hasam rode into the city, and claimed victory. On Dawn the next day, Ismail arrived, and was corronated in the great halls of St Sophia, dedicating the Church to Allah, the wise and mericful.

The Battle of Nicea

Let all rejoice For today is great indeed, truly Allah has blessed us Praise to Allah for all his goodness The power of Rome is broken, 600 years since the great prophet fled, and christendom lies in tatters - Khalipha Ismail II rejoicing on the mount in Nicea

Four years after the fall of constantinople marked a great turning point in all the world. The Muslim generals had pushed through Asia Minor, forcing the Christian armies to retreat, eventually to Nicea. There, camped in the hills was the pride of christendom, the great armies of Byzantine, More than ten thousand men, a great host indeed The Muslim pride was also there, camped in the next valley, a host of ten thousand as well, all elite troops, and led by the Khalipha and his greatest generals. The host in Constantinople and the the hosts from the east had finally converged, to create a warhost like that never seen in one thousand years.

The cleansing of the infedels began at dawn. the Khalipha giving control of his army to his greatest general, who led a great infantry division of the empires most formidable warriors. The plan was easy, to break the romans spirit early, and to force them into retreat before thier cavalry could muster. So on they marched, into the valley, and up a hill where scouts reported the enemy to be encamped. And encamped they were, in a forrest, but they ran like dogs, and found refuge with thier lord on a further hill. The holy infantry kept on its march, and soon the great armies clashed, though only the tip, as both sides had many reserves. After fierce early fighting, the enemy broke and ran, leaving the alamohad infantry to the hill, where the achers took up ranks behind to face the oncoming cavalry.

The cavalry marched up the hill, and met the great infantry horde, but they were no match as thier general lay dead, they routed. On came the mased reserves next, many slavic conscripts, which made up much of the Romans army of late. They didnt have the hreat to fight, and ran to thier masters, begging forgivness.

the slaughter was over, the enemy retreating to thier castles, to await the death and starvation there.

The empire captured a great host of the army, and mercy was shown. Thier masters did not look for them though, and so they were sent to the Khaliphas mines.

One by one over the next year, the Roman armies surrenderd thir castles, and Anatolia was liberated and delivered into the Khaliphas protection.

I know Allah watches and guides all that I do, so I must show mercy, as he has shown me mercy, and I must be just, as he is Just, and I must treat my Enemies as brothers, for they are only misguided, and are yet to see the light of Allah Khalipha Ismail II

[Alrowan]

thats it for tonight, enjoy

the first 4 years have been filled with victories, and i only have a decade till the mongol hordes.... can i complete it?

[KukriKhan]

Moving to the new PlayByMail sub-forum of the new Story Forum.